“She’d changed how I saw kids. She changed all of us.”

A short story based in small town Ohio which narrates between Piper (social worker) and Heather Bauer (adoptive mum) as they navigate life following the release of Janie Bauer, now preferring to be called Hope Devonshire. Janie is a “reformed child killer” who both narrators have a dark and disturbing history with.

Janie is released from juvenile detention after 10 years, she has published a one sided tell all memoir and has it out to terrorise the Bauer family.

The book had my attention from the start, I flew through it. Knowing it was a short story had me baffled as to why this story was being told in so few words… It was not until the end that I realised this a sequel to “The Perfect Child” which I have not read yet.

Lucinda… I need to know what happens next, please!?

Thank you NetGalley, Lucinda Berry and Amazon Original Stories for allowing me to read this book before it’s release 📚💫

Can one truly heal from the most extreme form of trauma that’s ever been seen? Overall this short story was gripping, fast paced and potentially gives closure (if Janie really is……) 😏.


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/174670409

My Review:
Loved!!!!! This is a short story and sequel to one of my favorite books of all time The Perfect Child. I knew I had to read it once I saw the cover reveal. I’ve been waiting patiently for a very long time for this author to write this and she finally did. I couldn’t be happier to find out what happened to everyone. All I’m going to say about this book is that you must read it and it is the perfect end to the perfect story.

In conclusion, the plot, the characters and all the twists in this book made this book an enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

This novella started strong with page one ft. the fascinating nature vs nature debate and continues with some good mystery and suspense.

Janie who was a troubled child and is a sociopath is back in the lives of the people who adopted her. They had a biological child and he learns of Janie being his sister for the first time after the parents had to give her up due to being so dangerous.

I found out when I started this that it was a sequel to The Perfect Child. However, having read the novella with absolutely no background, I thoroughly enjoyed it and think it works perfectly fine as a stand alone too. I'm sure it is even better if you've read The Perfect Child though.

Anticipated publication date: 15 August 2023.

⚠️ Check TWs online ⚠️

I liked the perfect child, but this seemed too much for me. It was a good length and good reintroduction to the characters, but very far fetched. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I was hoping.

3.5⭐️

I was skeptical of a thriller short story, but is Lucinda Berry so I needed to give it a try.

Hannah and Christopher are terrified of their adoptive daughter Janie. She terrorized them all the way until she was sent a juvenile facility. Now she is out.

It was a good story it kept me going page after page but I feel like this story could have been a 200 page book instead of just 84 pages.

There was so much more I wanted to know and felt like the stories of what Janie did as a child were just quickly thrown in there.

We also never know if Janie actually got better or was just fooling everyone. Definitely could have used more context.

Great closure and follow up to the original book.. I liked how they reminded the reader of the events of the first book.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Wow!!! This short book was a crazy ride. I read the previous book years ago but did not remember very much about it so you can definitely read it as a standalone. I just didn't expect it to end so quickly. It was very fast paced and easy to follow. Highly recommend.

This was exciting! A short story sequel to The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry. In this chilling look to the future, JANIE IS BACK!!

Yes, she is, and all grown up, and just as disturbed! In true Lucinda style, we follow up with Christopher, Hannah, and Cole as Janie comes back into their lives with all the twists you would expect from her books and find out what kind of psychotic antics Janie has been up to these last few years.

It's a quick and terrifying read, and it was great to finally get closure from the first book that left so many questions! But I found the ending was rather abrupt, and I was left with more questions . Perhaps this is an opening to a third installment? Hopefully!

Otherwise, for such a short read, this book is packed with creep factor and jaw-dropping moments.

Highly recommend!
Thank you to netgally for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A great follow up to a crazy story. The Perfect Child was a crazy crazy story. Janie as an adult was even creepier. I wish we had more resolution with Christopher. He was grappling with caring for Jamie and his wife who hated Janie. At the end, he’s mad Hannah killed Janie. I hoped for a happier end. Also, how’d Cole take the news?

Well, we’ve all been wondering what happened to Janie!! This book takes place in the future when Janie is an adult and the author gives us a good backstory of what she’s been up to the last several years. She comes back to wreck havoc on Hannah and Christopher one last time! This book will give you all the resolution you need to see “Where is Jamie now?!”

I’m so glad there was a sequel to The Perfect Child. Janie is just as disturbed in A Welcome Reunion. This book is jaw dropping like the first one and it was great to have the closure this book provided. Lucinda Berry is such a great author and has a way of making you look deep inside your own beliefs when it comes to mental health.

Thank you to Lucinda Berry, NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Read this if you like:
The perfect child
foster care
book publications
second chances
sociopaths
dual POV

I was so excited when I saw there was coming a sequel to The perfect child. This was one of the first English books I read and it really surprised me, it was also my first Lucina Berry read.
I love dark, twisty and shocking stories, and these two stories certainly are.

First I had to get back in and refresh my memory of the previous story, but once that was done I was completely hooked.

The Bauer family are still picking up the pieces from the damage Janie did to them when she returns claiming to be changed completely after her time in several juvenile detention centers.
Not only is she back to make amends, but she’s also doing the promo tour of her book in an interview where she reveals some other shocking events from the past. The interview really is a nice addition to this story because it makes you feel like you’re the audience hearing and watching everything from up close. Janie is still as twisted or even more than before, but she’s playing the victim role and during this process she has already chosen her next victim.

Hannah joins forces with Piper her current social worker, to make sure her family stays safe at all costs. I loved how all the important characters came back in this story to try to find the closure they needed. But honestly, I’m not quite satisfied with the end. It doesn't seem completely wrapped up to me.

However I really did enjoyed this story and to have an idea about the Bauer family their lives after the devastation Janie did to them and I really recommend reading this short story if you loved The perfect child! (Don’t read it if you haven’t read the first part because it really is a sequel to the previous story)

Thank you @netgalley & @amazonpublishing for this ARC.

Very fast paced read. Got through this in record time. Definitely moves fast through the story..nicely wrapped up. Not sure I loved it but a nice Saturday afternoon book to enjoy.

Thanks to the author,the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Short story sequel to The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry

Janie returns! The story takes place 10 years later, with a follow up of Janie, Hannah, and Christopher. Even in its short length, it contains all the twists, turns, and suspense you would expect from Lucinda Berry! It tied up all the loose ends and added drama to the original storyline. I also loved how it incorporated so much detail and background from the original story; so much so it can almost be a standalone. I’m a fan and recommend any of Lucinda’s fans or thriller fans to pick this one up when it publishes on August 15, 2023!

I was so excited to see this come out!! Such a nice quick, captivating read to catch us up on how all the characters are doing from The Perfect Child. I absolutely loved this as it brings us into the future to see Janie as an adult and Cole is now 13.

Janie of course hasn't changed one bit and it brings us into the mind of a psychopath and the things she continued to do to her victims throughout the years. It also shows us how her coming back into Hannah, Christopher, Cole and Piper's lives affects them all over again. Kudos to Lucinda for giving us this update! Loved it!

I have had several Lucinda Berry books on my TBR and I am so glad I finally read a book by her! This short story was intriguing and I had to finish it in one sitting! An adopted child,J anie, troubled from her birth parents, is brought into the home of Hannah and Christopher. No one knew that this child was going to destroy their lives and their family forever. Several years go by and now Janie is out of juvie and is writing a memoir about her life and her experiences. Christopher and Hannah have to do everything in their power to protect their family from Janie again. Absolutely chilling and thrilling all in one.

This was an intense little read! “A Welcome Reunion” is a novella that you will fly through easily in one sitting. And for those of you like me who didn’t know, this novella is also the sequel to Berry’s “The Perfect Child”, which I plan on reading immediately after this!

In this short little story, we learn of Janie’s release from juvenile detention/rehabilitation after several years. Janie is now 18 years old, and claims she has changed her evil ways from childhood. She has even gone so fas as to change her name to Hope.

Hannah and Christopher Bauer are Janie’s (Hope’s) previous adoptive parents. Hannah is very worried about Janie’s release back onto the streets, while Christopher has a bit of a soft spot for Janie. Hannah knows that people don’t change- especially people like Janie, after all that she did to their family. Can and will Hannah stop Janie before she destroys her family once again?

This was my first time reading anything by Lucinda Berry, and in just these few short pages she fully grabbed my attention. I am so curious and cannot wait to read “The Perfect Child” now (although I think it’s going to be quite disturbing). This was a fantastic, quick read that I highly recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own. Publication date: August 15, 2023.
Genre~ Novellas & Short Stories, General Fiction (Adult), and Mystery & Thrillers

A bingeworthy follow up to The Perfect Child! I love short stories and I flew through this one in under an hour! If you loved The Perfect Child and are curious about the fate of Christopher, Hannah, and Janie then be sure to read this ASAP! I was pretty shocked at the ending, but I knew since it was a short story that it would pack a punch! Lucinda Berry truly never disappoints.

I LOVED this story! I had no idea this tied into The Perfect Child so now I must read it as well!

What a great short story! It has me on the edge of my seat. Literally yelling at my Kindle. It was modern and realistic. I felt like I was reading someone's true story. It shows how social media only shows one side to a person or a story. Half truths and fake lives. Left me wanting more!